World Boxing Council speaks out on Edwin Valero By Media Report on Doghouse Boxing (April 19, 2010)

WBC President Jose Sulaiman and all the members of the World Boxing Council are deeply saddened, moved, and in sorrow due to the tragedy that took place regarding the case of WBC lightweight world champion, Edwin Valero, who committed suicide in his jail cell after having killed his wife.

Edwin Valero will remain in the 300 years of history of boxing as the only boxer who as a world champion had a professional career of 27 knockouts in 27 fights for a knockout percentage of 100 percent; Vitali Klitschko is second to him with a knockout percentage of 97.1 percent.

Valero was very close to President Sulaiman and many of members of the WBC who witnessed the happy years of the fighter when he won the lightweight world title on April 4, 2009, and when he defended the title last February 6 in Monterrey, where he was joined by his wife and two little children for two weeks, showing a behavior and a humanitarian sense that were very far from what happened.

The World Boxing Council declares today, April 19, 2010, a day of world mourning. The WBC will begin analyzing a plan to set up a fund for the education of his two little children, who were left alone in life after the passing away of both of their parents.

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The following is one of the weekly “Hook to the Liver” columns by WBC President Jose Sulaiman that are published in El Universal every Sunday. From April 18, translated from Spanish:

HOOK TO THE LIVER

By Jose Sulaiman

ALSO IN BOXING - HE WHO DOES NOT LIVE TO SERVE DOES NOT SERVE TO LIVE

Since I was very young, and being a member of the social service Club 20-30 International for over 20 years, I had deep in my heart my commitment to live for the service of others, especially for those who need it most; I have always profoundly respected and applauded those like the Rotary Club, The Lions, the Animal protection clubs, all groups for the benevolence of children, etc. etc.

During my youth, at the side of unforgettable friends at the 20-30 Club-members from 20 to 40 years of age, we used to struggle with dynamism to get funds for the service of others and the city of Ciudad Victoria , my home town;

We organized tumultuous Saturday night dances where the girls invited the men to dance - the men could not invite the girls; the dollar mile, when people put silver dollars on the sidewalks for one full mile; the First ever Carnivals in Ciudad Victoria, with the election of queens and the “Ugly King;” as well as an amateur tournament where I was the only referee - some nights for 25 fights!!! - while my colleagues were at the ticket office, selling refreshments, being judges, and everything that is done at a promotion.

With the income our 20-30 International Club we bought all of the medical instruments for the Red Cross; also for the City hospital; we built a center for the rehabilitation of sentenced children.

Those years strengthened my love for the sport of my life, boxing, which I selected as the way for my servicing in my life those born in the humblest of beds, like the boxers who find in our sport the friendly hand extended to project them with their courage and ability to become the sports heroes of their countries and the world.

Thinking in those terms and feelings, it was that I select three boxers for my column today in Oscar de la Hoya, who became so popular that he broke all the gate and TV records; Floyd Mayweather, the only champion ever to win five authentic, undisputable WBC world titles, immodestly the most world-recognized, in different divisions; and the third being Shane Mosley, one of the best champions of the last quarter century, with Oscar now being the promoter, and Mayweather and Mosley the fighters, in a soon coming fight.

De la Hoya won my heart when he took both the Mexican flag  from country of his blood, and the American flag  from country of his birth, to go into the ring to receive the gold medal that he won at the Olympic Games in Barcelona . He projected himself to the moon when he won in 1996 from the great Mexican idol, Julio César Chávez, the WBC super lightweight world title and the green and gold belt, and participated in the extraordinary number of 18 WBC world title fights, to win and defend three WBC world titles in three different divisions: super light weight, welter and super welterweight titles.

Floyd Mayweather held 15 world only WBC championship fights with great loyalty and pride of the WBC, to win and become the only champion ever to win five WBC titles in different divisions..... Walking into the great champions of all time in the WBC with Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Ray Leonard, George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis, Roberto Duran, and J.C. Chávez, among others, who have been the greatest boxing champions in the near 50 years of existence of the WBC. Floyd’s photo with the 5 WBC green and gold belts became published all over the world.

Shane Mosley had to step down in 1999 from the IBF lightweight title as he could not make the weight anymore, and defeated Oscar de la Hoya in November of 2000 to win the WBC welterweight title and participated in nine more WBC title bouts, among which he lost twice to the mourned Vernon Forrest, who was assassinated after trying to keep his car from being robbed.

I always thought that both Mayweather and Mosley were highly deserving, just as Manny Pacquiao was, of fighting for the green and gold WBC DIAMOND CHAMPIONSHIP BELT - it has more than 600 diamonds, emeralds, rubies and a Ferrari leather green belt, but the promotion did not finally request the WBC for its approval. Therefore, Manny Pacquiao, the superhero of the Philippines , remains as the only WBC DIAMOND BELT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, and very well deserved.

Money continues being the only king of Kingdoms for some of those who have already conquered glory, and there are only very few fighters who credit and are totally loyal to the people and institutions that were the foundations and the opportunities for them to reach fame and greatness.

The WBC is not only the owner of the green and gold belt, which is the dream of many boxers in the world, it is also the one who cares for the safety and welfare of boxers; the one that has a pension for many former champions who live today in poverty, for as modest as it can be; the WBC is continuously paying hospital and medicine bills for many former and active boxers and families; protecting families without exceptions of deceased boxers with a WBC life insurance, even when they are not fighting for a WBC title; taking to rehabilitation centers many who have fallen into the paws of drugs and so many other benefits for boxers and boxing that all the members of the WBC are profoundly pride of their joint efforts and struggle for the benefit of boxing, regardless of the gratitude of others or not.